JP3700389B2 - Signal lights for vehicles - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a vehicular signal lamp such as a stop lamp, a tail lamp, and a turn signal lamp, and more particularly to a vehicular signal lamp that employs an LED lamp as a light source.
[0002]
[Prior art]
FIG. 4 shows, for example, a stop / tail lamp in which the configuration of a conventional vehicle signal lamp 90 using this type of LED lamp 91 as a light source is configured to turn to the side surface of the vehicle body, and is a curved portion 92a. In order to conform to the shape of the lens 92 having the above, the substrate 93 for mounting the LED lamp 91 is also appropriately divided and disposed in the vehicle signal lamp 90 as a substantially stepped shape. The LED lamp 91 is attached to the substrate 93 in the main irradiation direction Z of the vehicular signal lamp 90.
[0003]
At this time, since the LED lamp 91 has a light distribution characteristic of an irradiation angle of about 10 ° to 40 ° and a relatively narrow angle, one lens lamp 91 is provided for each of the LED lamps 91. The lens cut 92b is disposed, for example, to give diffusion such as 20 ° up and down and 40 ° left and right to give light distribution characteristics as the vehicular signal lamp 90.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the conventional vehicle signal lamp 90 described above, since the irradiation angle of the LED lamp 91 is narrow, even when the lens cut 92b is arranged for each LED lamp 91 as described above, There is a case where light does not reach the entire surface of the lens cut 92b, and when the surface of the lens 92 is viewed from the outside, there is a problem that it looks like a spot as shown in FIG.
[0005]
In particular, when the vehicular signal lamp 90 is provided with a curved portion 92b in the lens 92, the substrate 93 is arranged in a stepped manner, and the LED lamp 91 is mounted in the irradiation direction Z, an arrow X in FIG. When viewed from the side surface direction shown, the curved portion 92a that wraps around the side surface of the vehicle body does not emit light at all, and the purpose of wrapping the lens 92 is lost. .
[0006]
As the above solution, for example, there is an attempt to distribute light to the curved portion 92a by making the substrate 93 into an arc shape or a bent shape along the curve of the lens 92. The range of the lens 92 that the individual LED lamps 91 handle becomes wider, and light unevenness becomes more prominent, and problems such as difficulty in aligning the LED lamp 91 and the lens cut 92b occur.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
As a specific means for solving the above-described conventional problems, the present invention provides a vehicle signal lamp having a curved portion that uses a plurality of LED lamps as light sources and extends to the side surface of the vehicle body, and is provided in the vehicle signal lamp. A board for mounting the LED lamp is appropriately divided at the curved portion and arranged in a step shape, and the optical axis of each of the divided boards is made to coincide with the irradiation direction of the vehicular signal lamp. The LED for light distribution having a relatively narrow beam characteristic mainly responsible for forming the light distribution characteristic, and the relatively wide beam characteristic mainly responsible for irradiation of the lens surface of the signal lamp for a vehicle whose optical axis is inclined in the lateral direction. it solves the problem by providing a vehicle signal lamp, characterized in that the complementing LED lamp is provided with.
[0008]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Below, this invention is demonstrated in detail based on embodiment shown in a figure. 1 is a vehicular signal lamp according to the present invention, and this vehicular signal lamp 1 uses a plurality of LED lamps 2 as light sources as described in the prior art. In the following description, it is assumed that a curved portion 3a that turns into the side surface of the vehicle body of the lens 3 for use as a stop / tail lamp or the like is also provided.
[0009]
Accordingly, the substrate 4 provided in the vehicle signal lamp 1 is appropriately divided in the curved portion 3a and arranged in a step shape. On each of the step-shaped substrates 4, the substrate 4 is provided. The point that the LED lamp 2 is attached is the same as that of the conventional example.
[0010]
Here, in this invention, the LED lamp 2a for light distribution and the LED lamp 2b for interpolation are employ | adopted for the said LED lamp 2, and the said LED lamp 2a for light distribution is an irradiation angle of about 10 degrees-40 degrees, for example. And has a relatively narrow beam characteristic, which is equivalent to that conventionally used as the vehicular signal lamp 1. At this time, in this embodiment, the LED lamp 2a for light distribution has the optical axis Z aligned with the main irradiation direction of the vehicular signal lamp 1 as in the conventional example.
[0011]
On the other hand, the interpolating LED lamp 2b has a relatively wide beam characteristic of, for example, about 60 ° to 120 °, and this is performed by appropriate means such as changing the casing shape of the LED lamp 2. It has been realized. Then, the LED lamps 2a for light distribution and the LED lamps 2b for interpolation are mixed in an appropriate arrangement on the substrate 4 at an appropriate ratio.
[0012]
At this time, as a reference when the light distribution LED lamp 2a is attached to the substrate 4, a number and arrangement sufficient to satisfy the light distribution characteristics required for the vehicle signal lamp 1 may be used. Since the actual situation is that the lens is disposed more closely than necessary in order to prevent the light unevenness generated on the surface of the lens 3, according to the present invention, the number of arrangements may be reduced.
[0013]
The interpolation LED lamp 2b gives light to the portion of the lens 3 surface that is not irradiated with the light from the light distribution LED lamp 2a between the light distribution LED lamps 2a arranged as described above. At this time, in the curved portion 3a of the lens 3 described above, the optical axis Y of the interpolating LED lamp 2b is tilted toward the direction viewed from the side. It is good also as what emits light.
[0014]
Therefore, in the vehicular signal lamp 1 of the present invention, the light distribution characteristics as the vehicular signal lamp 1 are formed by the minimum number of light distribution LED lamps 2a, and the light distribution LED lamp 2a has a light distribution characteristic. Interpolation LED lamp 2b gives light to the surface of lens 3 where the light does not reach, allowing the viewer to recognize that the entire surface of lens 3 is shining, eliminating unevenness of light and improving appearance To do.
[0015]
In particular, in the conventional configuration, even in the curved portion 3a of the lens 3 that does not shine at all, it is possible to make it shine by applying appropriate means such as tilting the optical axis Y of the interpolation LED lamp 2b as described above. It is possible to improve the visibility of the purpose of turning the lens 3 to the side surface of the vehicle body, that is, the visibility from the side surface of the vehicle body, and not only the above-described appearance but also the performance.
[0016]
Here, since the interpolation LED lamp 2b has a wide beam characteristic, when an LED chip having the same brightness as that of the light distribution LED lamp 2a is used, the luminance naturally decreases. Since the purpose of the interpolation LED lamp 2b is only to illuminate the surface of the lens 3 just before, there is no problem.
[0017]
FIG. 2 shows a main part of another embodiment of the present invention. In the previous embodiment, the LED lamp 2 has a difference in beam characteristics between the LED lamp 2a for light distribution and the LED lamp 2b for interpolation. In this embodiment, the light projecting lens 22 that is also made of a transparent resin serving as the case of the LED lamp 21 is composed of a light distribution lens portion 22a and an interpolation lens portion 22b. The composite lens is formed.
[0018]
The light distribution lens portion 22a gives a relatively narrow beam characteristic to the light from the LED chip 23, for example, an irradiation angle α of about 10 ° to 40 °, and the interpolation lens portion 22b has the same LED. A relatively wide beam characteristic for the light from the chip 23, for example, an irradiation angle β of about 60 ° to 120 ° is given.
[0019]
Thus, when the vehicle signal lamp 1 is formed as shown in FIG. 3, the LED lamp 2a for light distribution and the LED lamp 2b for interpolation are mixed on the substrate 4 as in the previous embodiment. It is not necessary to use the LED lamp 21 in which all of the light distribution lens portion 22a and the interpolation lens portion 22b are formed, so that the process can be simplified. In any of the embodiments, the lens 3 is provided with an appropriate lens cut 3b.
[0020]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, in the vehicular signal lamp having a curved portion that extends to the side surface of the vehicle body, the board for mounting the LED lamp provided in the vehicular signal lamp is appropriately divided at the curved portion. Each of the divided substrates has a relatively narrow beam characteristic mainly responsible for forming a light distribution characteristic with the optical axis aligned with the irradiation direction of the vehicle signal lamp. A light distribution LED and a complementary LED lamp having a relatively wide beam characteristic for mainly irradiating the lens surface of the vehicular signal lamp with the optical axis inclined in the lateral direction are provided. with the vehicle signal lamp, conventionally inevitable to use a LED lamp narrow beam characteristics for the formation of the light distribution characteristics, thereby not irradiated to the lens surface This type of vehicle solves the problem of unevenness of light caused by light splitting or the problem that the curved part does not shine in a lens provided with a curved part for the purpose of improving visibility from the side. It is very effective in improving the aesthetics and performance of the signal lamp.
[0021]
In addition to the above, the compound lens in which the light projection lens of the LED lamp is provided with a light distribution lens portion having a relatively narrow beam characteristic and an interpolation lens portion having a relatively wide beam characteristic Since each LED lamp serves as both the LED lamp for light distribution and the LED lamp for interpolation, one type of LED lamp can be used, reducing the number of parts and simplifying the process. It also has an excellent effect.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a main part of an embodiment of a vehicular signal lamp according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing an LED lamp of another embodiment of the vehicular signal lamp according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a main part of another embodiment of the vehicular signal lamp according to the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a main part of a conventional example.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a state of a lens surface during lighting of a conventional example.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Vehicle signal lamp 2, 21 ... LED lamp 2a ... Light distribution LED lamp 2b ... Interpolation LED lamp 22 ... Light projection lens 22a ... Light distribution lens part 22b ... Interpolation lens Part 23... LED chip 3... Lens 3 a.

Claims (1)

  In a vehicular signal lamp having a curved portion that uses a plurality of LED lamps as light sources and extends to the side surface of the vehicle body, a board for mounting the LED lamp provided in the vehicular signal lamp is appropriately divided at the curved portion and stepped. Each of the divided substrates has a relatively narrow beam characteristic mainly responsible for forming a light distribution characteristic in which the optical axis coincides with the irradiation direction of the vehicle signal lamp. And a complementary LED lamp having a relatively wide beam characteristic for mainly irradiating the lens surface of the vehicular signal lamp with the optical axis inclined in the lateral direction. Signal lamp.

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